In-demand Catholic primary schools in Belfast have created more places for pupils after a campaign drive by parents.
The extra 32 places were created after 80 children are believed to have missed out on P1 places in two schools, St Ita’s and St Joseph’s, in the Parish of Drumbo and Carryduff in the last three years.
Another 50 children were turned away from St Bernard’s PS in south Belfast in a three year period.
The two parish schools in Carryduff are reported to be oversubscribed every year, and parents formed a pressure group in an effort to highlight the situation.
The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) launched St Ita’s in 2005 as St Joseph’s couldn’t meet demand in the area. However St Joseph’s has now been allowed to expand as well as St Bernard’s in Rosetta, Belfast.
St Joseph’s will admit an additional 24 pupils while St Bernard will take in eight more pupils this coming September.
CCMS said it was delighted with the outcome of the expansion, adding that it will work with trustees in the coming months to explore longer-term enrolment needs for the wider area.
